Daily Dose of Social Media: Coco Gauff gets WNBA ovation, Rafael Nadal enjoys magical stint in Disney Paris

In a new Daily Dose of Social Media, we recap some of the moments that stole the spotlight, including the warm welcome Coco Gauff received during her visit to a WNBA game in New York, while Rafael Nadal visited Disneyland Paris with his family.

Also enjoying days off are Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz, who shared snapshots on their social media after Roland Garros. Additionally, a new incident occurred on the Challenger Tour, after a South American tennis player lost his composure after losing a match and broke his racket, smashing it up to 12 times against the ground.

Rafael Nadal shared heartwarming photos from his visit to Disneyland Paris, taking advantage of his time in the French capital. The 22-time Grand Slam champion visited one of his favorite places for celebrating his numerous victories at the quintessential clay-court Grand Slam.

Judging by their smiles, the tennis legend and his family enjoyed countless unforgettable moments, including a warm encounter with Mickey Mouse, who sported a special tennis-themed outfit for the occasion.

“A few days ago, I was deeply moved by the farewell I received at Roland Garros. I ended by saying thank you, France, and thank you, Paris, it’s hard to say anything more than that. Paris will always be in my heart, and Disneyland Paris will always be a part of it. Thank you for giving me this wonderful family moment, in one of my favorite places, which was the perfect culmination to a very special experience for me,” said Rafael Nadal.

Coco Gauff received a notable reception at the WNBA when she attended the New York Liberty vs. Chicago Sky game in Brooklyn. Sabrina Ionescu led the Liberty with 23 points, while Breanna Stewart contributed 18 points in their 85-66 win. The recent Roland Garros champion was courtside enjoying the match. Gauff is known as one of the most prominent investors in the women's basketball league.

The presence of the two-time Grand Slam champion was announced over the loudspeakers, earning a full stadium ovation as Gauff waved to fans and formed a heart gesture with her hands. The world No. 2 quickly traveled from Paris to New York to spend a week in the USA before returning to the court next week at the Berlin Ladies Open, where she will be the second seed in her only grass-court tournament before Wimbledon.

The Challenger Tour once again provided peculiar images after an outburst from Uruguay's Franco Roncadelli at the Challenger 50 in Santa Fe (Argentina). The world No. 353 faced American Bruno Kuzuhara (No. 596) in the first round of the tournament. Kuzuhara, 21, entered as an alternate and pulled off an upset by defeating the Uruguayan 6-0, 2-6, 7-5. However, at the end of the match, Roncadelli showed his full frustration by repeatedly smashing his racket against the ground – up to 12 blows that ended with a broken racket and his elimination from the tournament.

Aryna Sabalenka is enjoying her vacation in Greece with her boyfriend Georgios Frangulis, following a busy clay-court swing that ended with a loss in the Roland Garros final. The Belarusian reached the final in Paris for the first time but couldn't overcome an impressive Coco Gauff, who came back from a set down to claim the year's second Grand Slam 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4. For the second time this season, Sabalenka lost in a Grand Slam final – after falling to Madison Keys at the Australian Open last January.

Nevertheless, the world No. 1 is taking a well-deserved break and relaxation after the French Open. Like Gauff, she opted for a few days off before traveling to Berlin for her next tournament. The three-time major champion had already stated in a press conference that she planned to travel with her boyfriend to enjoy the European summer and a part of the year that transitions from clay courts to the grass-court swing, with an eye on Wimbledon.

“I already have [a] flight booked to Mykonos and alcohol, sugar,” she said in Paris. “I just need a couple of days to completely forget about this crazy world. If I could swear, I would swear right now with this crazy thing that happened today. I think everyone understands. I am just trying to be very polite now. But there is no other word that could describe what just happened today on the court. But yeah, tequila, gummy bears and, I don’t know, swimming. Being like the tourist for a couple of days,” she added.

Carlos Alcaraz has shared several photos from his days at Roland Garros and the celebrations after winning the title. The Spaniard posted various snapshots from his time in Paris, including photos with his team, on the tennis court, strolling through the city, and even alongside Rafael Nadal's footprint on Philippe Chatrier Court.

The five-time Grand Slam champion successfully defended his crown at Roland Garros after overcoming Jannik Sinner for the second consecutive final (having beaten him two weeks prior in the Rome final). The Spaniard will once again arrive at the grass-court swing with confidence, and while enjoying a few days off in Ibiza with his friends, he awaits his return to competition at the upcoming Queen's Club Championships starting next Monday. He was champion there in 2023 and reached the semifinals in 2024.